Infotainment system with air-vent control

Abstract

An air vent assembly includes a cover member having an inlet for allowing a flow of air to enter the cover member. The cover member also has a vent extending from the inlet for allowing a flow of air to exit the cover member. The vent includes a first vent portion, and a second vent portion located adjacent to the first vent portion. The first vent portion has a first set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein. The second vent portion has a second set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein. Each of the vanes is spaced apart from one another and pivotally coupled to a pair of opposing walls of the cover member. The first and second sets of flow guiding vanes are independently moveable with respect to each other using an actuating mechanism for providing a variety of flow-guiding positions one of which includes a split flow-guiding position.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for controlling an air vent assembly within an HVAC system of a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a cover member having an inlet and a pair of elongated walls disposed in a mutually opposing relation;   a vent extending from the inlet toward a fore side of the cover member, the vent comprising:   a first vent portion having a first set of flow guiding vanes pivotally coupled to the pair of mutually opposing elongated walls; and   a second vent portion adjacent to the first vent portion having a second set of flow guiding vanes pivotally coupled to the pair of mutually opposing elongated walls;   an actuating mechanism comprising:   a single rotary actuator;   a cam member having a central portion coupled to the rotary actuator and a primary pin engaging first and second cam grooves;   a first actuating member having a first cam groove and a first link member engaging each vane of the first set of flow guiding vanes;   a second actuating member having a second cam groove with a J-shaped portion and a second link member engaging each vane of the second set of flow guiding vanes;   a processor operatively coupled to the rotary actuator; and   a user interface in communication with the processor and configured to display menu options for independently controlling positions of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the menu options include options for positioning respective ones of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes in one of:
 a vane closeout position, a leftward flow-guiding position, an onward flow-guiding position, a rightward flow-guiding position, a partially-split flow-guiding position, and a fully-split flow-guiding position.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein in response to selection of one or more inputs via the user interface, the first set of flow guiding vanes and the second set of flow guiding vanes are independently moved to a position selected from the group consisting of:
 the vane closeout position, the leftward flow-guiding position, the onward flow-guiding position, the rightward flow-guiding position, the partially-split flow-guiding position, and the fully-split flow-guiding position.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more menu options include an option to accept voice commands for controlling the positioning of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the second actuating member is resiliently biased by a spring coupled to the cover member, the spring facilitating a default position for the first and second actuating members. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the cam member further comprises a secondary pin disposed at a second end of the cam member, the secondary pin configured to engage with a retainer groove defined on the second actuating member. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first cam groove comprises a linear portion and the second cam groove comprises both a linear portion and the J-shaped portion. 
     
     
         10 . A vehicle comprising a system for controlling an air vent assembly within an HVAC system of a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a cover member having an inlet and a pair of elongated walls disposed in a mutually opposing relation;   a vent extending from the inlet toward a fore side of the cover member, the vent comprising:   a first vent portion having a first set of flow guiding vanes pivotally coupled to the pair of mutually opposing elongated walls; and   a second vent portion adjacent to the first vent portion having a second set of flow guiding vanes pivotally coupled to the pair of mutually opposing elongated walls;   an actuating mechanism comprising:   a single rotary actuator;   a cam member having a central portion coupled to the rotary actuator and a primary pin engaging first and second cam grooves;   a first actuating member having a first cam groove and a first link member engaging each vane of the first set of flow guiding vanes;   a second actuating member having a second cam groove with a J-shaped portion and a second link member engaging each vane of the second set of flow guiding vanes;   a processor operatively coupled to the rotary actuator; and   a user interface in communication with the processor and configured to display menu options for independently controlling positions of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the menu options include options for positioning respective ones of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes in one of:
 a vane closeout position, a leftward flow-guiding position, an onward flow-guiding position, a rightward flow-guiding position, a partially-split flow-guiding position, and a fully-split flow-guiding position.   
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein in response to selection of one or more inputs via the user interface, the first set of flow guiding vanes and the second set of flow guiding vanes are independently moved to a position selected from the group consisting of:
 the vane closeout position, the leftward flow-guiding position, the onward flow-guiding position, the rightward flow-guiding position, the partially-split flow-guiding position, and the fully-split flow-guiding position.   
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more menu options include an option to accept voice commands for controlling the positioning of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the second actuating member is resiliently biased by a spring coupled to the cover member, the spring facilitating a default position for the first and second actuating members. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the cam member further comprises a secondary pin disposed at a second end of the cam member, the secondary pin configured to engage with a retainer groove defined on the second actuating member. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the first cam groove comprises a linear portion and the second cam groove comprises both a linear portion and the J-shaped portion. 
     
     
         18 . A method for controlling an air vent assembly within an HVAC system of a vehicle, the method comprising:
 displaying, via a user interface, menu options for independently controlling positions of first and second sets of flow guiding vanes, wherein the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes are pivotally coupled to a pair of mutually opposing elongated walls of a vent extending from an inlet;   receiving, via the user interface, a selection of one of the menu options;   transmitting a control signal from a processor to a single rotary actuator in response to the selection;   rotating, via the single rotary actuator, a cam member having a central portion coupled to the rotary actuator, wherein a primary pin of the cam member engages first and second cam grooves;   actuating a first actuating member having the first cam groove and a first link member to engage and move each vane of the first set of flow guiding vanes; and   actuating a second actuating member having the second cam groove with a J-shaped portion and a second link member to engage and move each vane of the second set of flow guiding vanes.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein displaying the menu options comprises:
 displaying options for positioning respective ones of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes in one of: a vane closeout position, a leftward flow-guiding position, an onward flow-guiding position, a rightward flow-guiding position, a partially-split flow-guiding position, and a fully-split flow-guiding position.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 independently moving the first set of flow guiding vanes and the second set of flow guiding vanes to a position selected from the group consisting of: the vane closeout position, the leftward flow-guiding position, the onward flow-guiding position, the rightward flow-guiding position, the partially-split flow-guiding position, and the fully-split flow-guiding position in response to the selection.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein receiving the selection comprises:
 receiving a touch input via a touch screen of the user interface; or   receiving a voice command via the user interface.